An Old Bridge man has been sentenced for causing the death of two women and for injuring another driver.
Following sentencing arguments from Assistant Prosecutor Keith Abrams on Sept. 7, Judge Andrea G. Carter sentenced Tristan R. Rodriguez, 25, to 17 years in state prison on one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, one count of second-degree vehicular homicide, and one count of fourth-degree assault by auto, according to information provided by Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Acting Chief Joseph Mandola of the Old Bridge Police Department.
Rodriguez must serve 85% of his sentence, approximately 14.5 years, before he is eligible for parole.
Upon his release, Rodriguez will be subject to a 20-year loss of license.
An investigation conducted by Officer Steven Connolly of the Old Bridge Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that, in the early morning hours of July 6, 2019, Rodriguez was intoxicated and driving his car at a high speed on Englishtown Road when he crashed into the rear of a pickup truck, according to the statement.
Krystal C. Diaz, 29, of Old Bridge, who was a passenger in Rodriguez’s car, and a 17-year-old female who was a passenger in the truck, were both pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries which they sustained in the crash, according to the statement.
The 20-year-old male driver of the truck, also from Old Bridge, was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries.